Namewise

Caoimhe vs Emma

Caoimhe and Emmacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Caoimhe was ranked #31 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Caoimhe was ranked #275 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Caoimhe was ranked #70 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Caoimhe was ranked #1110 and Emma #85 among girls in England and Wales.

Caoimhe and Emma over time

Caoimhe and Emma appear together in 3 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Caoimhe in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Caoimhe in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2023, Caoimhe moved ahead of Emma in Northern Ireland · Girls — #61 and #46 the year before became #62 and #95.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Caoimhe and Emma averaged 22.9 places apart, ending at #70 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caoimhe and Emma were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1110 and #85.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Caoimhe #25 in 2003, Emma #1 in 2003.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1966–2025

    Caoimhe held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 57.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhe #12 in 2003, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caoimhe #31, Emma #28.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Caoimhe held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhe #639 in 2013, Emma #13 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caoimhe #1110, Emma #85.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Caoimhe held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Emma in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Caoimhe #25 in 2003, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2023: Caoimhe moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #61 and #46; by 2023 that had become #62 and #95.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caoimhe #70, Emma #84.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Caoimhe

Pairs where Caoimhe shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Emma

Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Caoimhe, Emma
FieldCaoimheEmma
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'dear', 'beloved', or 'gentle', from the Irish word caomh.A shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma.
OriginIrishGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈkiːvʲə//ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #31 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Caoimhe is recorded with a Irish origin, while Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin.
  • Caoimhe and Emma both have 2 syllables.
  • Caoimhe's recorded meaning differs from Emma's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Caoimhe

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2025

    Highest recorded position: #12 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 1966–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1110 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #85 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls